The final numbers are in and the majority of voters in the Cayman Islands would like to have single member constituencies. Some 5,631 Caymanians said they would like to change Cayman’s voting system, while 3,001 said they would like it to stay the same.

Although the majority of Cayman voters would like to change the way we vote, the magic number was not met.

11:35 p.m. Update: George Town wants single member constituencies

George Town voters that said yes 2360

George Town voters that said no 993

10:50 p.m. Update: 5 districts closed off

The final counts are in for five out of 6 districts in the Cayman Islands. Supervisors are now checking the George Town votes. Bodden Town has returned a majority yes answer to the question of single member constituencies.

Over 1,300 people there are in favour of One Man, One Vote, where as over 600 people there are against it. Bodden Town joins East End, North Side and the Sister Islands in saying yes to electoral change. West Bay has said it’s not in favour of change. The counts include mobile and postal voting.

Numbers are now coming for George Town as well, 12% of the votes has been counted. So far, under 300 say it’s time for single member constituencies where as over 100 disagree. George Town is the final district to be counted.

10:30 p.m. Update: Final numbers for Bodden Town in

Final numbers for Bodden Town are now in. The majority of voters in that district would like to have single member constituencies.

Bodden Town voters that said yes 1396

Bodden Town voters that said no 617

9:30 p.m. Update: Final numbers in for some districts

The final numbers are in for East End, North Side, and Cayman Brac & Little Cayman, and West Bay.

East End voters that said yes 257

East End voters that said no 79

North Side voters that said yes 335

North Side voters that said no 56

Cayman Brac & Little Cayman voters that said yes 256

Cayman Brac & Little Cayman voters that said no 203

West Bay voters that said yes 1027

West Bay voters that said no 1053

9 p.m. Update: Premier’s thoughts on Referendum Day

Cayman 27′s Tammi Sulliman caught up with Premier McKeeva Bush outside the Command Centre. He said he voted “no” because he believes single member constituencies is not the right way forward. Currently most of the votes counted are “yes” and Mr. Bush says it’s too early for him to comment on what the outcome may be. We have more in this interview.

Discussing one man, one vote

Watch Cayman 27 News for the LIVE coverage.

8 p.m. Update: Count to begin soon

The Supervisors, scrutinizers, observers and counters are in position waiting for the final ballot boxes to make their way to Command Centre.

Meantime, the final voter numbers are in – nearly 60 percent of people had their say in the referendum. That’s over 8,700 people.

It’s a lower voter turn out that in previous elections, says the Elections Office.

North Side lead the way all day and closed out with over 70 percent of electors casting their ballot.

Bodden Town finished with 58%. West Bay, George Town and East End turned out 57% of their voters. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman closed at under 50%.

Results as to what those votes say are expected to begin momentarily.

7:10 p.m. Update: About 57% of voters voted

The final numbers are not in as yet, but it looks like about 57% of registered voters voted.

7 p.m. Update: Low voter turnout

Cayman 27’s Tammi Sulliman is at the Command Centre and has the latest.

6:45 p.m. Update: Voting on the future of the electoral system

Cayman 27’s Ben Meade and Donna Bush discuss what’s been happening across the Cayman Islands and to give us some insight about the remainder of our coverage.

6:30 p.m. Update: Why voters voted the way they did

Cayman 27 crews were in every district where we talked to some of you about your reasons for voting the way you did.

Cayman 27′s Kevin Morales has been checking on how the voting process has been flowing in the district of West Bay. West Bay has the second largest number of voters registered in the Cayman Islands.

6 p.m. Update: Polls now closed

The future of Cayman’s electoral system hangs in the balance. Thousands of voters went to the polls today to decide whether to change the way the Cayman Islands elect a government or if the current system should be maintained.

The polls are now closed. The next step is to transfer the ballot boxes to the Command Centre where the ballots will be counted.

5:30 p.m. Update: 50% mark passed

With the clock ticking before the polls close, elections officials say more than 8,300 voters have cast their ballots in the referendum.

The data shows 55% of the electorate has voted whether it’s time to switch to single member constituencies, with one vote for each person. North Side has lead the race to the polling station since they opened at 7 a.m. So far 70% have had their say. Behind are George Town, Bodden Town and East End at 55%, West Bay at 54% and the Sister Islands at 47%.

Once the polling stations close at 6 p.m., supervisors will bring the sealed ballot boxes to Command Centre to begin the count.

5 p.m. Update:Less than an hour left to vote

His Excellency Governor Duncan Taylor says “Things are going smoothly” with the referendum. Although “It’s not mandatory to vote I would encourage them [Caymanians] to exercise their vote,” Governor Taylor says.

4 p.m. Update: Nearly half make their mark

Almost half of the electorate have decided whether single member constituencies will work for the Cayman Islands. The Elections Office released its most recent data from the polling stations showing nearly 7,500 people have marked their ballot paper.

However, 7,582 people need to say yes in order for electoral change to take effect.
North Side has turned out the most voters in terms of district representation – over 60 percent cast their ballots. Bodden Town and George Town remain neck in neck, both sending under 50 percent of electors to the polls so far.

West Bay and East End are close behind with 48% and 47% respectively. The Sister Islands bring up the rear at 40%.

Voters still have under 2 hours to go to the polls and vote in the referendum if they haven’t done so already.

3 p.m. check with Command Centre

2:45 p.m.: 40% counted so far

Voters continue to line up to cast their ballots at polling stations across the country. More than 6,000 people have voted in the referendum on single member constituencies so far. There are four hours left for electors to say whether they want change to the electoral system.

North Side continues to blaze the trail with almost 55% of voters placing an ‘x’ on the ballot paper.

George Town, Bodden Town, West Bay and East End all hover around the 40 percent mark, while the Sister Isles trail at just over 30%. Governor Duncan Taylor says while voting is not mandatory, he is encouraging everyone to have their say on whether single member constituencies will work in the Cayman Islands.

2:15 p.m. Update: Resident says Brackers on holiday

One viewer has called in worried that people in the Brac are treating today simply as a holiday and not exercising their right to vote.

Quincy Brown says he has seen people fishing and relaxing on the beach over on the sister island.

He is worried that they are treating today like any other bank holiday and instead of voting, putting their feet up and enjoying a day without work.

Another couple on the Brac have told us of their concern that people living their do not have the right information and are ill-prepared to cast an educated vote. And as a result are staying away from the polls.

1:45 p.m. Update: Graffiti mars referendum process

Turns out some electors opted to mark more than just their ballot at the polling stations. Supervisor of Elections Kearney Gomez says some voters have defaced elections property.

Mr. Gomez popped into Command Centre after making his rounds, checking to make sure all is well at the polling stations. He confirms there have been marks scratched on posted instructions at the polling stations. Some of the scribbles indicate how people should vote, saying ‘vote yes’ or ‘vote no’ on the ballot paper.

Mr. Gomez stresses any kind of vandalism to election property is a criminal offence.

Meanwhile, numbers continue to trickle in – North Side still blazes the trail in terms of voter turn out. Nearly 42% of North Siders have cast their ballots.

So far, nearly 5,000 people have voted in the referendum asking if they support single member constituencies.

12:45 p.m. Update

Tammi Sulliman at Command Centre talks to journalist Wendy Ledger.

The two discuss just how important it is that every registered voter heads to the polling station to cast their vote.

So far a little more than a third of those people eligible have already voted but as Tammi explains more votes are needed to reach that magic number of 7582 to make the result binding.

North Side still leads the way as more than half of those who can vote in that district already have.

12 p.m. Update

The district of North Side continues to lead with voter turnout. Close to 42% of North Siders have come out and voted. George Town comes in second with just under 32% voter turnout. The district of Bodden Town follows with just over 31% of voter turnout.

In West Bay, just under 30% of the voters have turned out so far. And in East End over 28% of the register voters marked an “X” on the ballot.

Cayman Brac and Little Cayman trails with 27% of the registered voters coming out to the polls to cast their vote.

11:20 a.m Update

Mr and Mrs Byas from Atlanta, Georgia say they have no issue with the no alcohol law as there are similar laws in place in Atlanta.

Our roaming reporter Mona-Lisa Tatum is up in the Eastern districts where she has been speaking to tourists about how they feel with the liquor ban on Referendum day.

One couple she spoke with up at Rum Point said they had no problem not being able to have a drink because in Atlanta, Georgia, where they come from a similar system is in place.

And Mona-Lisa has also discovered that in North Side around half of the 550 people eligible to vote have already cast their ballot. It seems that district is proving the busiest in the country so far but there’s still plenty of time left before polling stations close at 6pm.

Also make sure you have all the right credentials with you before setting off to cast your votes.

10 a.m. Update: North Side leads the way

Voters show up in Savannah

Preliminary figures are now trickling in to Command Centre, and so far North Siders have taken the lead in the race to cast ballots in the Referendum. Via walkietalkies, supervisors at the polling stations relay the latest voter turn out figures to officers here at the election hub. So far, almost 18% of the entire electorate population has had their say on whether it’s time to switch to single member constituencies.

In North Side, almost 24% of people cast their ballot. Bodden Town and George Town are neck in neck at just over 18%. West Bay is just behind at 17.5% with East End coming in at 16%. The Sister Islands trail the pack, coming in t just under 15%.

Data is expected to come in to Command Centre every two hours. Officers are standing by to take the information and calculate the latest statistics.

Meanwhile, the Elections Office says operations are running smoothly at each of the 17 polling stations across the country. However, some voters say parking has been a bit of a bother. Remember, there is a 300 feet zone where no cameras, cell phones or any public cars are allowed – so you must park beyond the 300 ft zone.

9:51 a.m Update

More than 200 people have already cast their votes at the Savannah Newlands Polling station. Election officials say that voters are coming in steady numbers.

Our reporter Mona Lisa Tatum is reporting more activity at the George Town North Polling Station at the Victory Tabernacle on Eastern Avenue where she says there seems to be an increase in the amount of elderly people casting their votes this morning.

Cayman 27′s Mona Lisa Tatum is out and about checking various polling locations. She reports that there’s a slow start at the George Town Central/George Town Primary School polling station. So far not many people have showed up to vote at that location. But officials say they expect to have a busy day as the day progresses.

Almost 3,000 cruise ship passengers will find a “dry” Cayman as they dock this morning. Selling or even giving away liquor is banned until after 7 p.m. this evening. There were fears this may anger tourists but one visiting couple have told us this morning they are not concerned as they are planning an excursion for the day.

7 a.m. Update

Polling stations official opened across Cayman and early bird voters have already started to queue as they play their part in decided how the country will choose their future political leaders.

A man arrested after a police chase in West Bay has been charged with rape. The 22-year-old was due to appear in court Thursday (30 July). He is also accused of aggravated burglary. The West Bay man was arrested Tuesday […]